Electricity WebQuest

adapted by Nancy Chatteinier-North Davis Elementary

 

    

  

    


Introduction   What is a WebQuest?  Break the word apart and you can see that it is a quest or journey of discovery on the World-Wide Web.  Most WebQuests are educational. This one helps students address the California Physical Science Standards for fourth grade.  It is challenging because it was adapted from a quest that was originally made for older (5-8th grade) students. I've changed some of the links because they were missing and I added some to fit the California standards.  However, there is a LOT of research to cover. See if you are up to the challenge! The fourth grade standards for electricity and magnetism state:

In this web-quest you will use the computer and some hands on activities to research information related to these standards and then you will prepare two final projects to share with the class.

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The Task 
You are to choose one of the following as your finished products for this WebQuest:

  1. Create a PowerPoint presentation sharing what you have learned
  2. Write a short biographical essay (4 paragraph minimum) on any of the scientists listed below. 
  3. Create an electricity game (card game, board game,)

RESEARCH AREAS:
You will need to know the following: In other words, the products above must show that you have a strong background in the following areas:

  1. Static Electricity
  2. Series and parallel circuits
  3. Electric charge
  4. Electrical current
  5. Electromagnets
  6. Conductors and insulators
  7. Electrical Safety
  8. Magnets and Magnetic Fields  

Evidence that you have researched and understand these areas should be included in your final product.  The more you research and understand the better your score will be according to the rubric.

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The Process 

  1. You will work together in teams of four. 
  2. Each person on the team will have a specific job. 
  3. Once your team decides on which two products you will design, you will brainstorm what roles are needed and who will fulfill those roles.
  4. Decide how you are going to collect your information from the internet. (note taking, mind mapping, etc.  You may want to capture pictures off the internet during your research to use in your finished product - see below)
  5. At this point, share your information with your teacher before you continue.
  6. Once you have the OK from your teacher, you need to research the areas listed above under the task section.
  7. Any changes made in the process  must be OK'd by your teacher.
  8. Below you will find web sites to help you in your research: 

To capture pictures off the internet, right mouse click over the picture and save to the hard drive, the server, or a floppy disk.  You may rename the file if you want to.


http://library.thinkquest.org/10796/ch11/ch11.htm
Atoms Family
http://www.miamisci.org/af/sln/
from Atoms family(electricity)
http://www.miamisci.org/af/sln/frankenstein/index.html
Energy Quest
http://www.energy.ca.gov/education/
from Energy Quest- "what is electricity?"
http://www.energy.ca.gov/education/story/story-html/chapter02.html
More Electricity
(charge, conductors & insulators, current, ohm's law)
http://library.thinkquest.org/10796/ch11/ch11.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/10796/ch13/ch13.htm#s1
Series, Parallel Circuit
http://library.thinkquest.org/10796/ch14/ch14.htm

http://www.schoolscience.co.uk/content/3/physics/circuits/circh2pg2.html
Electric charge
Electric Charge http://www.ndt-ed.org/EducationResources/HighSchool/Electricity/electriccharge.htm
Static Electricity
http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/static.htm
Static and Current Electricity
http://www.msnucleus.org/membership/html/k-6/as/physics/3/asp3_4a.html

Electrical Energy

http://amasci.com/miscon/whatis2.html#2

http://www.yphysics.freenet.kz/Words%20S/sources%20of%20energy.htm

http://www.thetech.org/exhibits/online/topics/11b.html

Compasses

http://www.howstuffworks.com/compass.htm

Electromagnets

http://science.howstuffworks.com/electromagnet.htm

http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/electromagnet.html

http://education.jlab.org/qa/electromagnet.html
Magnets and Magnetic Fields

http://my.execpc.com/~rhoadley/magencyc.htm

http://staff.jsr.cc.va.us/asullivan/eisenhower/projects/magnificent_magnets.htm
http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/wmfield.html

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/mar97/859291596.Ph.q.html

DC Circuits w/quiz
http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/dccircuits.htm
AC electricity(w/quiz)
http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/ac.htm
science definitions (kewl)
http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/definitions.cfm
Theatre of Electricity (good videos & pics)
http://www.mos.org/sln/toe/toe.html
Van der Graff Page (nice pic)
http://www.eskimo.com/~billb/emotor/vdg.html


Scientists
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/scientists/ampere.html
http://www.aip.org/history/einstein/index.html
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/scientists/edison.html
http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Ohm.html
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/scientists/franklin.html
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/scientists/einstein.html
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/scientists/tesla.html
http://sln.fi.edu/franklin/ 

http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/scientists/faraday.html

 Project Aides

Game Card Template

Projects Guidelines

How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation


Evaluation

The grade for this WebQuest will be given as a group.  Any individual within the group who fails to do his/her part as designated by the group, will receive an individual grade lower than the group grade.  Problems that arise must be worked out by the group without bickering.  If a solution cannot be found by the group, the group may ask the teacher to help find a solution.

 

 

Beginning

1

Developing

2

Accomplished

3

Exemplary

4

Score

Product 1

 

Product includes accurate information from 1-2 research areas listed under the task section. 

Product includes accurate information from only 3-4 research areas listed under the task section. 

Product includes accurate information from only 5-6 research areas listed under the task section. 

Product includes accurate information from 7-8 research areas listed under the task section. 

 

Overall










 

The products show no planning, creativity, or elaboration.  Shows no effort or research.

The products show little  planning, creativity, or elaboration.  Shows little effort or research.

The products show some planning, creativity, elaboration.  Shows some amount of effort and research.

The products show a large amount of  planning, creativity, elaboration.  Shows a great deal of effort and research. 

 

Group Dynamics

 

Members of the group bickered daily about roles and obligations.  Teacher needed to mediate more than five times.

Members of the group bickered about roles and obligations.  Teacher needed to mediate up to  five times.

Members of the group bickered about roles and obligations.  Teacher needed to mediate up to  three times.

Group worked well together.  Each member fulfilled his/her obligation as spelled out by the group under numbers 3 and 4 within the process section.

 

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Conclusion

You have learned a lot about electricity in this WebQuest; what it is and how it is generated.  By sharing your knowledge with others you can become a teacher yourself. Spread the word!


Credits & References
Graphics from: 
http://dgl.microsoft.com/
http://www.clipartconnection.com/

Page adapted by Nancy Chatteinier from:

http://volweb.utk.edu/Schools/sullivan/colonial/electricity.html

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